Dhaka: Nearly all projects during the tenure of the previous government were approved based on political influence, Debapriya Bhattacharya, head of the white paper preparation committee formed by the interim government, stated today. In a meeting with senior government officials at the Bangladesh Planning Commission’s NEC building, Bhattacharya highlighted how political considerations heavily skewed project approvals.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Bhattacharya pointed out that political influence and a lack of accountability led to corruption and the misuse of project funds. He noted that weak feasibility studies, along with the involvement of unethical officials, politicians, and business figures, compromised the integrity of the development process. The discussions with secretaries and senior officials from all ministries focused on the constraints affecting the development narrative under the previous administration.
Bhattacharya further elaborated on the adverse effects of administrative con
trol on the development process. Many meeting participants mentioned being adversely impacted by this environment, with some citing instances of harassment. He also alleged that certain bureaucrats engaged in these activities were motivated by political ambitions.
He described how land was often bought and resold at inflated prices before launching development projects, sometimes yielding triple returns and effectively diverting government funds. Additionally, some projects were approved in unsuitable locations to exploit land value, and irregularities were evident in the e-tendering process for equipment procurement and contractor selection.
Bhattacharya remarked that many projects were declared complete despite remaining unfinished, which undermined their potential economic benefits. Participants from the meeting expressed concerns over their compromised professional autonomy, as they faced politically motivated transfers and pressures, which hampered their ability to work effectively as a team, leading t
o project irregularities.
The meeting reviewed specific projects, including the Hi-Tech Park, Karnaphuli tunnel, energy sector initiatives, tax collection, social sector reforms, and bank management. Bhattacharya emphasized the need for a professionally developed administration that empowers capable and independent professionals, while also calling for the removal of obstacles that hinder their ability to fulfill their duties.